Don't trust anyone over 30
by Olive nerd
Summary: Christine Raven Xavier used to lounge in her "mother's" mansion, but when she and the remaining members of her broken family meet Logan, she goes on a wild adventure full of self-discovery, family secrets, violence, and time travel. But, what exactly is the origin behind the X gene and XY gene? Also, who the heck are Erik and Mystique? Cherik
1. The Stranger

Don't trust anyone over 30

**I do not own anything from X Men. This takes place during DOFP. I know that Quicksilver's actor isn't born on June 4****th****, but I had to change that so this story could make sense. **

People were taken away from me since birth. One by one, they were disappearing, drifting, or as Mother liked to put it while drunk with sleep, "abandoning."

Mother, also known as Professor Charles Xavier or Professor X, was kind, but he, (yes he,) barely had time for me. I was just another student of his, the philanthropic professor. It's not that I didn't enjoy the company of mutants like me, who defied standards and expectations like me, but Mother was my only real relative.

I never knew my father. Mother told me my father left him because they could never agree with one another. I used to think that reason was ridiculous. So, my parents divorced because of a small disagreement? I argued with my three uncles, Alex and Hank and Sean, all day. Did that mean I would desert them?

Anyway, I guess I should start with the facts before diving into the heart of my adventure. My name is Christine Raven Xavier, and I was born on June 10th, 1963. I have my mother's deep blue eyes, but I have another's short, thin brown hair and nose and ears.

Yes, I am a telepath like Professor X, but sometimes before I fall asleep, I find myself levitating coins whenever I feel resentful or depressed. I've wanted to tell Mother that, but even mentioning my possible father makes him ill and stubborn.

Well, I was five when strangers began taking my friends away. So, I was always careful and independent, but I promised myself that I'd be brave enough to answer the door. Uncle Hank told me not to, but I taught myself to face my fears. Mother even said, "Weakness is only a burden if treated as such."

One day, I beat my uncle to the punch and cheerfully answered the door. "Welcome –" I stopped short, acknowledging the man's tall stature and stern frown. My mouth froze, and I could only stare in awe.

When he finally looked down and took notice of me, he smirked and knelt to my level. I flinched and hid half my body behind the door left ajar. He was very intimidating, and I wanted to call for someone, anyone, but I didn't want to bother my Mother or Uncle Hank. Even at five years old, I noticed their ever-growing sadness.

"Hello," the man greeted me charismatically, tipping the grey hat donned on his head. "*Prinzessin, where are your mother and father?"

I grinned excitedly, glad to find a new friend and forgetting my mother's warnings about strangers. "My mother is soooo pretty, mister! My mother is smart, too, and you'd like my mother!" The man laughed, nodding. Then, I scrunched my face up and looked down at my bare feet in embarrassment. "But, uh… I don't have a father. Mother said father was a monster and cruel, and he left Mother alone and took my Aunt Raven away." I heard the man gasp, but I decided to continue chattering. "Anyway, I'm with Uncle Hank now and don't need my father."

When I looked back up at him, I saw the man sigh and look deeply into my eyes. I flinched. He seemed really upset, and I quickly heard my mother say "Try not to upset or leave your friends with nothing to gain, my love. Regardless of our differences, all humans and mutants deserve respect and integrity."

"I'm sorry," I whispered to the man. He grinned at me and stepped closer to the door.

"It's alright, but could you tell me who your mother is…. What's your name again?"

I giggled and answered. "Christine. What's your name?"

"Erik, *Prinzessin." I liked his nickname for me. It was unique, and I was really starting to like him.

But then, I had to blurt out, "Wait until you see Mother! He'll be so happy to meet you, Mr. Erik Sir!" Two strong arms lifted me and perched me on scrawny shoulders. "Uncle Hank?"

"The hell are you doing here," he snapped at Erik. "Unless you have a bastard child to dispose of, this is not your territory, Magneto!"

_Magneto? He was a mutant like Mother, Uncle Hank, and me? Like the rest of us? _Erik smirked wryly and extended a hand towards me, but Uncle Hank growled and slapped his hand away.

"Charles's child is no concern of yours!"

The declaration tore the mutant apart. His smirk dissolved and was replaced by a small frown, full of confusion and remorse. I placed my index finger on one of my temples, and he noticed and withdrew a coin out of nowhere.

_Hold_ _the coin_, he beckoned. I nodded and found myself levitating the coin as he released his grip. Erik stared longingly at me, and I shivered. Hank held me closer, snarling, and slammed the door in Erik's face. Two and two came together; that was the day I met my father.

***Yep, I used Google Translate to find the German word for **_**princess**_**. **


	2. The Visitor

**Okay, I'm clueless when it comes to the actual script of DOFP. I just saw the movie. So, please correct me if I make any mistakes. **

Five years later, every mutant, besides my mother and Hank, were gone. We've seen too much, too many divisions and too many tears. Mother shut down his school. The mansion was a desolate home, and I was independent and free to do whatever I wanted.

Okay, that's not entirely true. Uncle Hank made sure I stayed at home and "away from the humans", but other than that, heck, I was on my own. Uncle Hank shopped once a week for all three of us, Mother started drinking himself to numbness, and the serum…

He began taking the serum that helped him walk and subdue his powers ever since I was born. For as long as I can remember, Mother had it, close to his heart. But ever since his foster-sister, Raven, left before I was born, he grew vulnerable. He's lost so much, including his willpower.

On one uneventful afternoon, I was basking in the warm sunlight when I heard a car breeze into the manor's driveway and footsteps approach the mansion. He was very muscular, like a strong man in those circus acts Mother used to take me to before he became extremely addicted to the serum. He dressed very oddly, too, and I quickly hopped off my towel to join him. _ What weird sunglasses… _

He knocked, and Uncle Hank answered. _Uh oh. This man does not want to face Hank in his worst mood, _I thought. Luckily, Hank looked confused, not angry, as he peaked outside. "Can I help you," he asked.

"Uh…" He peered inside. "What happened to the school?"

Hank blinked. The school _had_ been shut down for years. "Are you a parent?"

"I sure as hell hope not." I giggled, sneaking nearby and eavesdropping. Uncle Hank warned me about strangers, too. But even if I couldn't talk to them, I could still listen to them!

"Who are you," the stranger wondered aloud.

"I'm Hank."

The stranger almost chuckled in disbelief. "_You're_ Beast?" (That was Uncle Hank's codename. Mine was Xena.) "Look at you…you must be a late bloomer." I rolled my eyes and hid in the bushes beside the entrance. Who did this guy think he was?

Hank quickly composed himself and told him, "I don't know what you're talking about, sir. I'm going to have to ask you to leave immediately." But once he tried to shut the door, the stranger acted quickly and prevented him from doing so.

"Where's the professor," he demanded. _He doesn't know Mother, _I thought skeptically. _Mother hasn't been known as Professor X in years! This has to be one of those stupid CIA agents!_

"There's no professor here," Hank grunted, fighting back.

"You're awfully strong for a scrawny kid," the stranger taunted. I glared at his back, my small hands making fists. "C'mon… sure there's not a little beastie in there? Come on, Beastie!"

He shoved his way in, and as Hank ran after him, I followed both of them. Hank quickly noticed me and grabbed my hand. "Stay behind me," he whispered. I nodded fearfully, wanting to ask who he was but was too scared. What did this guy want?

"He's not going to take Mother away," I whimpered. "Is he? He's not taking you!"

"Stay behind me," Hank repeated firmly. The man went deeper into our manor, and Hank snapped, "I said the school's closed, buddy. You need to leave now."

"Not until I speak to the professor," the stranger replied calmly. Hank turned the man around, and the man simply stared at Hank.

"There's no professor here," Hank told him again, breathless. I hid in the shadows of the room.

"Look, kid…you and I are gonna be great friends." I shivered. Was he going to take Uncle Hank away, I wondered. Threaten him? Beat him up? The rest of them tried to do that, only Mother was there to help him, help us.

_Whack! Thud! _The man knocked Hank down with a single punch, and I cried out, "Uncle Hank!"

"You just don't know it yet…" The stranger murmured, glancing curiously at me before shaking his head and heading upstairs.

I dashed after him, my face red with rage. "You're not taking Mother, you pest!"

The man paused at the top of the staircase, staring warmly at me. "Don't worry kiddo," he told me gently. "I'm not taking your mother away. And, I'm no pest. My name is Logan."

"Or Uncle Hank," I pouted. "You're not a CIA agent, are you?"

Logan chuckled, and I couldn't help but smile. He didn't seem as threatening as he looked at a first glance. "No, kid… Heh, _Uncle_ Hank…. I'm not here to take anyone away. But, I still need to see the professor." With that, he headed down the hallway upstairs. "Professor?" He called out. "Professor!"

A flash of blue swept over my head, frizzing my light brown tresses. Hank, in his beast form, swung and grabbed Logan.

"Hank! No!" I was too late. Logan screamed as Hank threw him into the other staircase, and I winced as I heard his body slam on the hard wood. Hank attacked him once more, and I shouted, "Boys! Stop!"

Both men stared quizzically at me, and Logan asked, "Who are you again?"

"That's none of your business," Hank barked, choking Logan. I heard someone come down the stairs as they proceeded to take their fight to the nearest chandelier.

"Hank, stop." My mother groaned, a drink in his hand, and he beckoned me to his side. I nodded as he put a protective arm around me and asked Logan, "Who are you supposed to be exactly?"


	3. The Reason

**Yeah, this scene is a bit different from the original one. But hey, it may have been a different story if Christine/Xena in the movie! Enjoy! **

"I was sent here for you," Logan disclosed, as soon as Hank got off of him. Mother released me and sat lazily on the stairs.

"Well, tell whoever it was that sent you that I'm... busy, raising a child." He pointed to me, and I clicked my tongue. _Raised me… Sure, until this place got screwed up. _I sought comfort in the one item I kept with me since I was five: the coin Erik, my father, gave me.

"It's rude to stare, Christine. Introduce yourself." I pouted but nodded at Mother, crossing my arms over my chest and tapping my brown clogs.

"Hello…" I shyly fixed the hem of my black skirt and tucked in my white shirt. Ever since the rest of the teachers and students left, I desired plainer clothes and lost my taste in the tie dyes of my generation.

Logan smirked at me. "Well, that's gonna be a little tricky," Logan shrugged, "Because the person who sent me, was you, Charles."

"What?"

"About fifty years from now."

"About fifty years from now," Charles repeated incredulously. "As in the future 'fifty years from now'?"

"Yeah. If you still had your powers, you'd know I was telling you the truth."

Mother and I shared a confused look. I shrugged as he stared suspiciously at Logan. "How do you know I'm not using my powers?" He wrapped his arm around me again. "All right, you've piqued my interest. What do you want?"

"I need your help. _We_ need your help, us mutants. We're like you."

"That's impossible! They were drafted for the war! You said you weren't from the CIA!" I stood up to glare at Logan, the traitor I just met, until he revealed his retractable claws. My eyes bugged out.

_You're like me, _I projected.

"Yes, _we _are like you. And, we need your 'mother's' help." He couldn't help himself and broke into a fit of laughter. "So, professor, whose Christine's father? And, you'll forgive me for prying but how the hell is this natural?"

"As if I'd tell you!" Mother shouted. "Christine, go to your room. You're not going outside again."

"Mother –"

"No! Do as I say!" His icy blue eyes returned to Logan. "As for you, why should I even trust you?" He walked away from us then cackled madly. "Oh, now I remember you! You were that mutant I met a long time ago at a bar. Well…. I'm going to tell you what you told me –"

"Child in the room," Hank reminded him, gesturing to me. I scowled. It's not like I haven't heard Mother cuss before.

"Listen to me, you piece of shit!" Logan furiously made Mother face him. "I watched a lot of good people die, and I came back to stop that from happening!"

I wish I knew who he was talking about. Mother only swayed and croaked, "We all gotta die sometime." That was not my mother speaking, but what good could I do?

He walked away. "I told you, there's no professor here." Hank put his arms around my shoulders, and Logan gave me a glance full of pity.

"What happened to him?"

xxxxx

Once Hank cleared the air for Logan, we followed Mother, who was in the sitting room. When he saw me, his fierce expression quickly changed to a worried one. "Christine, read his mind." I complied, and I found out that Logan was being completely honest.

"He's right. He's being honest."

After that startling truth revealed itself, the three of us listened intently to whatever Logan had to say. I remember all three of them arguing for what seemed like hours, and I even fell asleep in Uncle Hank's lap until he and the others stood up. I followed them into Hank's lab, where they were scrutinizing Hank's prized diorama of the Pentagon in Washington D.C.

I craned my neck so I could hear them speak, but by the time I heard someone utter a word, they were finished. "Let's tell the kid," Logan suggested.

Mother narrowed his eyes at him. "You don't have children, I'm guessing?"

"Hell no!"

"Then you'll understand that 'ignorance is bliss'", Hank mumbled. "She doesn't need to know about Magneto."

_He means Father, _I realized, poorly attempting to contain my joy. _I want to see him so, so badly! _I quickly made my presence known, and he scooped me up jovially as if nothing happened. "Hey, Chris!"

"I'm going with you," I announced, "to see Daddy!"

Both Hank and Logan turned to Mother, completely shocked, and Hank almost dropped me. All of us were dead silent until Logan muttered, "Magneto is the father, or is the world not doomed?"

Mother wasn't looking at any of us as he asked me in a gritty tone, "Christine, _darling, _how do you know this?" I didn't want to push him anymore, so I shrugged. He wasn't buying the act. "I won't ask again… " He cocked his head and stared mercilessly at Hank. "How the _bloody hell _does my daughter know that - that monster?!"

"I, uh…" I swallowed. "I met him, Mommy. He's no monster. His name is Erik. He can do what I can. See?" I levitated the coin in my hand. "I'm sorry, Mother, but I couldn't tell you. I couldn't. He ordered me not to tell you. He didn't want to upset you."

Mother chuckled some more and hugged me. I was beginning to enjoy the hug, believe that my true mother returned to me and he was fine. But then, I heard him inwardly hiss, _that monster is as good as dead. When I see him again, he'll pay. Ha, he didn't want to upset me? Well, isn't that just bloody heroic?_

"So, uh…" Hank got Logan's attention. "How do we plan on executing this rescue? Security is tight."

Logan smiled with mirth. "I think I know just the guy. He's a little young now, but he'll know what to do. Oh, and…" He glanced pointedly at me. "She has to come."

"And I'm engaged to Hank," Mother barked sarcastically, laughing almost drunkenly as he planted a kiss on my cheek. "She's staying here. I'm watching her. No excuses."

"You're all coming," Logan declared. "Magneto will come willingly once he finds out about his daughter. Besides, she may be seven –"

"Ten," I whined, rolling my eyes. I always looked younger than I actually was to adults!

"- But she's a telepath and a metal-bender, useful…. Also, think about it, Charles. If you stay here, well, you're obviously too plastered to watch her. And Hank, come on. Really? You'll bitch about leaving the kid with her 'uncle'!"

I gave Mother puppy-dog eyes, and he sighed dramatically. "Put something nicer on," he ordered. "Run a brush through your hair, grab a bite to eat, and meet us outside. Understand?"

"Yes, Mother."

"That's my girl." He bent down to kiss my forehead and gave my back a gentle pat. "Bring that coin with you. Oh, and let Mommy talk to your Daddy first, okay?" I nodded and rushed upstairs to my room, debating on whether to tell Logan my codename or not.

**Will Christine like Quicksilver? Will she like Erik? Also, when will she finally meet her Aunt Raven? Stay tuned to find out!**


	4. The Teen

Although Logan drove like a drag racer, and my backpack was constantly hitting my back, I began feeling very sleepy. Soon, I fell asleep again, and Uncle Hank woke me up again by patting my head.

"Carry me," I moaned on the verge of sickness. "Logan drives too fast…"

"Not today, missy!" He, Mother, and Logan got out of the car. "Wanna stay in the car or meet the cute boy?"

I perked up to this new stream of information. "Cute boy? You're lying!" Logan looked the other way, annoyed and impatient.

Mother scooped me up and placed me beside him. "Would I ever lie to you, darling?"

"Yes!"

"Preteens," Logan grunted, strutting to the door of the house in front of us and ringing the doorbell. I looked around the quaint, suburban neighborhood. My eyes landed on the black mailbox in the front that read "MAXIMOFF" in white letters.

The rest of us joined Logan. "Why are we here –"

"Sh!" Logan covered my mouth as a woman who appeared to be in her mid-thirties or forties answered the door and gave a sad sigh.

"He's done it again, hasn't he?" She turned away from us and yelled, "PETER! THE COPS ARE HERE!" She then noticed me. "But, they may be social workers…." She then ushered us to his room, which was probably the basement of the house, and Logan thanked her and led us down the stairs.

I expected him to be around my age, a bit overweight, lounging on a coach and eating tons of potato chips. _He has to be a talented break-in artist or something, _I guessed. We found a teenager- a very, _very_, abnormally fast teenager- playing Ping-Pong with himself and nailing incomprehensible phrases at us.

"What do you guys want," he asked at full speed. "Didn't do anything!" A breeze knocked me off my feet, and Hank caught me. "Sorry!" He zipped behind us. "Been here all day."

"We're not cops or social workers," Logan explained. "So, just relax, Pete." He breezed by us again in a flash and managed to observe Mother's wallet.

"No, you're not…" He left it there and sat on one of the sofas behind us.

"That's…" He left Mother speechless. "-An old card."

"What is he? Some kind of teleporter?"

"No, he's just fast." Logan huffed. "Believe me…. I didn't know he was so… young."

"Young," I squawked. "He's old enough!"

"No, kid, they're just old." We all turned to Peter, who observed the three men like he was sniffing sardines and winked at me. We all observed him until he breezed by us, again, and played on some arcade game called "PONG". "So who are you? What do you want?"

My brain could hardly translate. He just talked too fast! Luckily, Logan was there to reply. "We need your help."

"With what?"

"Break into a highly secured facility."

"What's in it for me?"_ Ugh! Boys!_

"_You_," Mother tempted, scratching his eye in annoyance. "Get to break into the Pentagon." Peter paused, staring at his game, then at Mother.

"How do I know I can trust you?"

Mother looked at Logan. "Show him." Logan unsheathed the claws of one of his hands, and Peter stared, wide-eyed.

"Cool but disgusting," Peter smirked. I grinned. This is the most excitement I had in a long time! We were going to break into the Pentagon, and I loved Ping-Pong.

He gave me an odd look. "Kid? What's eating you?" I blushed and looked down at my feet.

"Sorry. It's just… I like Ping-Pong, too. I always wanted to play it back at home." I used to play it with my teachers and friends at the school.

Charles gave me an apologetic look. Peter grinned amiably at me. "Why not?" Unfortunately, Logan looked sternly at Mother, and he took me by the arm and shook his head.

"We have a deadline to meet," Logan told Peter, who nodded. I sighed and pulled out something I could play with from my backpack: duct tape. When Peter saw it, he quickly snatched it from me, and a mischievous grin remained on his face.


	5. The Mission

**Hey, guys! I give you another confession: When I saw this part, it was hard to follow. By the time Peter was making history with his best scene, (which was probably one of the best scenes in the movie,) I wondered what the heck was going on. **

**So, I'll do my best to piece this together as accurately as possible. But, this is from Christine's point of view after all. Enjoy!**

Boy, the ride to the Pentagon was awkward. Mother had to explain how the heck my father ended up in a prison cell underneath the Pentagon. (He supposedly shot President Kennedy.) I only listened half-heartedly, stunned that Mother decided to lay this all out now. Really, was Father that "monstrous" that I couldn't know about him and his whereabouts until some guy from the future miraculously appeared?

Once we arrived, Uncle Hank volunteered to break in and jeopardize the Pentagon's top-notch security so that Mother, Logan, and Peter could rescue "Magneto." I figured he'd be the best guy for the job. When _he_ was ten years old, he was ready to finish high school.

I noticed that everyone was staring at me and saw the possibilities flashing in their eyes. _Ugh! _Either way, I was hopeless. Mother and Hank wouldn't want to take any risks, so they would want me to stay in the car. Logan would have insisted that I was needed to lure the metal-bender. Peter, well, he just wanted to break into the building illegally.

"My favorite niece should come with me," Hank coaxed, patting my knee. "Wouldn't that be fun, Chris?" We all headed out.

Nerd. "Barrels of fun," I groaned. "Especially considering that I'm your only niece!" Questions popped numerously in my mind, but one came out correctly. "Hey, Logan? Where did you get this car?"

"Friend."

Mother mumbled something to Logan and took me aside from the group. I shut my eyes, expecting to be admonished. Instead, he waited until I opened my eyes opened. "Uncle Hank is a snore." We shared a fit of giggles. "But, he has to keep you safe while I deal with your father. How about we make a deal? I'll tell you everything about you, your father, and me-"

"Everything?!" I always hungered for the knowledge of my birth, the emotional and meaningful memories of my family that most families shared, not just the facts and figures.

"Not everything…." Mother blushed and cleared his throat, and I wondered if he was feeling alright.

"I'm fine," he finally assured me, as if he knew what I was thinking. "I just want you to be safe and stay with Hank. Don't ask any questions. In fact, don't draw any attention to yourself at all. We cannot afford any mistakes." He nodded to Logan, signifying that he'd be there soon, and embraced me tenderly. "I love you very much, Christine, and I'm sorry for what has happened. I'm sorry for everything."

"Why are you telling me this now?" I clasped his hands. "You'll be okay, right?" He nodded, but I knew a worrier when I saw one. He wasn't sure enough.

_This better work…If Erik attacks,_ I heard him think. _I'll kill him. _He gave me one last kiss on the forehead and followed Logan and Peter. I took Uncle Hank's outstretched hand, and we followed a group of visitors, led by a tour guide, exploring the Pentagon.

xxxx

Does anyone realize how difficult it is to listen to a tour guide _and _watch my uncle mess with security from the corner of my eye? I did! Not to mention that I had to keep up with the rest of the group for the both of us.

As I dragged my uncle around, I most likely underestimated his slyness. He really fooled everyone by silently messing the "highly secured" facility's equipment.

Both the excitement of the tour and my uncle kept me on my toes until I heard one thought slip into my inquisitive mind.

"_Mind the glass."_

It was more of a warning than a thought, more spoken. I couldn't help myself; my telepathic powers, unlike metal manipulation, were innate. Before Mother absentmindedly abused the serum, he would teach me how to block, enter, and read minds. He sensed my abilities since I was a toddler.

Still, I was too young to understand the ethically challenging stages of mind manipulation and the advanced stages of telepathy. Mother left my lessons at that. But then, I started to teach myself a few harmless tricks, and now, with a whole lot of concentration, I could enter anyone's unwitting mind from anywhere I pleased.

Okay, it really wasn't that easy. I still had headaches occasionally from what Mother referred to as a "mental overload", which meant I was trying too hard when using my powers and needed rest. However, I was willing to make that risk, unlike Mother. I wanted to see Father.

As soon as I found the source of the projected though via another's mind, I pouted. _Shoot! Peter of all mutants is rescuing my father? Talk about a trust exercise! _ Through the eyes of the guards securing my father's prison cell, I could see Peter disguised as a guard, holding a tray of food, taking an elevator, and wearing a smug grin. _Cute, but it still doesn't explain why he's doing this! Shouldn't Mother or Logan be doing this? _

I then saw my father through Peter's eyes, confused but slightly hopeful and relieved, duck as Peter broke the glass above him. The guards were heading in their direction, probably armed. Father got up, and the two mutants shared some words. I didn't listen to most of the conversation because I was so afraid that the guards would bust in on them at any time, any second, but Peter suddenly caught me off guard.

"_They say you can manipulate metal. My mom used to know a guy who could do that." _ Saw Erik pale visibly and something foreign flash though his grey-blue eyes: fear.

Where did that fear originate, I wondered. What else was Mother hiding from me? Did my father, this Erik, know something about Peter that I did not?

I was too distracted to inwardly praise Peter's abilities. They were spared and back in the same elevator. I returned to Erik's point of view and saw a guard behind us imprisoned in duct tape, my duct tape. No doubt Peter did it, and despite how wary I was of the obnoxiously cunning teenager, I knew I owed him more than gratitude.

As soon as I knew Peter had Erik in a safe spot, I decided to enter Logan's mind to see what he and Mother were doing. Just to be on the safe side, I avoiding reaching my mother, even though he was currently powerless.

"Hank must have activated the sprinklers in the kitchen they're entering," I surmised, surveying the damage Logan saw. Mother tried to sway the guards and kitchen staff members away with babbling, but Logan quickly shut everyone else up with brutal force.

He gave Mother a look that spelled "w-i-m-p", but Mother placidly told him, "I'm just not a fan of violence."

_Ding! _The elevator opened and revealed a grinning Peter and a speechless Erik. He wouldn't stop staring at Mother as soon as he saw him. Mother and Logan whipped around just as Erik blurted out, "Charles?"

I crossed my fingers, almost bumping into Hank, as we were halfway through the tour. _Please show a sign," _I pleased to myself. I didn't want to force love, but I wanted love to be there between my parents. I wanted proof that I wasn't just an accident, a result of a fling, but a result of natural, undying love. I didn't care about genders at this point at all. I heard all the stories, all the opinion. They didn't matter. All that mattered was my family. _Please prove to me that the love is still there!_

For a moment, I saw my mother's eyes glaze with contentment, then he knocked my father down with a single punch. _Well, so much for that. _

"Good to see you too, old friend," Erik jested, blood dripping disgustingly from his nostrils. It was better than noting, but my parents definitely had some serious explaining to do.

**I know this sounds too sappy, but my favorite character in this whole series is Charles. He's just so loyal and kind-hearted, and yet, his dynamic character never ceases to surprise me. One minute, he could make a great role model. The next minute, he's an addict and picking a fight with Wolverine!**

**I'd appreciate a review! Tell me what you think! (Also, thank you HwGenius! That just shows how rushed I am. I'm going on a trip soon, so I guess I got carried away.)**


	6. The Truth

After Peter showed off, the crew finished their mission. As soon as we safely left the Pentagon, we called a cab for Peter or "Quicksilver" so he could go home. I couldn't help but share my code name with him, and he gladly returned the favor. We both seemed so similar, almost like twins; we both had birthdays in June, (his was June 4th and therefore we were each a Gemini,) we both loved Ping-Pong, and we both hated when adults underestimated kids like us.

"See you around, *Xena…" For once, he slowed down his speech and actions to plant a chaste kiss on my cheek and whisper "Don't grow up too fast, kid! I feel like we'll see each other again soon."

"Me, too." We both stared at Erik, who was following Mother. "Me, too."

After we departed and left Logan's car, I boarded on a jet plane with the rest of the crew. How they got the jet was beyond me!

xxxx

Uncle Hank flew the aircraft skillfully, and I grinned with pride while watching him. He told me he once flew a jet to the sandy shores of a Cuban beach on the very day some mutants went their separate ways. It didn't take me a long time to figure out that that was the day Father left Mother, but I liked to call the event a "necessary leave" to get sleep at night.

Mother faced and stared coldly at Father, who concentrated on his footwear. Logan sat right behind me, keeping an eye on us all, and I sat in the sear parallel to Father's. Boy, were we ever this quiet?

The silence thickened until I complained, "I can't believe you don't recognize me, Father!"

Erik's head snapped up. Grey-blue eyes never left my face. My, this was intimidating! I began to wonder if I went too far. _How did my parents even make a compatible pair? _

I shivered but managed to squeak, "Remember?" I rummaged through my backpack and took out the prized coin he gave me. With one last moment of hesitation, I levitated the coin to him.

The coin floated over Father's fingers, and a wonderful glow came to his features. He laid the coin down, got out of his seat, and scooped me up into a tight hug.

"*Prinzessin! Prinzessin! My joy! My lost daughter! You look just as beautiful as your late grandmother." He kissed my cheeks, and tears threatened to pour out of our eyes. "I sensed your mind all this time! You truly are a Lehnsherr!"

"Father!" I cried like an infant, facing Mother as soon as Erik put me down. "Mother! Mother! Isn't this great? Now, you can tell me everything –"

"Sit down," Mother whispered, staring unemotionally at us both. "Now." Dazed, I obeyed. Erik reluctantly sat back down in his seat. Why oh why did I forget that Mother never wanted to associate with Father again?

An orchestra of dull silence returned to us until Erik wondered out loud, "how did you lose them?"

"The treatment from my spine," Charles answered coolly, assuming Erik meant his legs, "affects my DNA." I could tell with one glance that Erik couldn't believe what he was saying.

"You gave up your powers so you could walk," the metal-bender asked skeptically.

"What do _you_ know about it?" He broke his gaze, distracting himself with the view from his window seat.

"I lost my fair share," Erik retorted, looking at me for a split second.

"Ha… Dry your eyes," Mother jeered, giving him a humorless headshake. "It doesn't justify what you've done, Erik."

"You've no idea what I've done."

"I know this: It's a miracle that I still have Christine, unless you plan to take _her _away from me, too. You took the rest of the things that mattered most to me. " It was sweet of Mother to express his care, but what did my father take from him?

"Well, maybe you should have fought harder for them." The counterblow was enough for Mother. He blinked back tears, as his icy blue eyes shimmered in pure hatred. I could only watch, frozen in my spot.

"You want to fight," Mother whispered lowly. He and Erik stood up.

As soon as he sensed a fight, Logan quickly barked orders. "Sit down!" He yanked me closer to him. I guess he didn't want to see a kid get hurt, but all I wanted was for them to stop. Why were we on this lousy aircraft anyway? No one told me anything.

"Let him come…" Mother did, fiercely, grabbing Erik by his shirt and screaming hoarsely. Never have I ever seen Mother this enraged before, even when I asked about Father or made jokes about other mutants.

"YOU ABANDONED ME! YOU MY VIRGINITY AWAY! YOU TOOK HER AWAY, AND YOU ABANDONED ME!" I was too upset to think about the words he spat. I didn't know who "she" was or what "virginity" was at the time. I just wanted them to stop. _Silence now seems like a blessing._

Erik was motionless as he began to state names very slowly. I never heard of these people until now, but their names came out of Erik's lips like ghost stories or the kinds of nightmares no one wants to learn from or mention. "Angel, Azazel, Emma, Banshee…." The plane began to tip, and chess pieces and drinks slid to the floor of the plane.

"Erik!" I heard Uncle Hank call out desperately.

Mother fell back, but Erik was far from finished with him. "WE WERE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THEM! WHERE WERE _YOU, _CHARLES?! _You _abandoned _us all._"

My fingers slipped off the coin I was subconsciously clutching, and it rolled on the floor. Erik, or Father, whoever this aggressive guy was to me, picked up my coin and sighed tiredly. As he did, however, I saw Mother whimper.

_He may be my father, but he's not hurting Mother again. _I suddenly didn't care if Mother punched Father or started the dispute. Mother was losing his mind, and I had to help. I pressed my index fingers to my temples and made Erik feel jolts of electricity. He yelped as I helped Mother get up.

"Release him," Mother commanded, and I did, but not without stepping in-between them.

Erik chuckled, surveyed me, and smirked at Mother bitterly. "Oh, Charles… She's so mature and assertive, yet so defensive and naïve… Just like her… "Mother"…

Not only did you betray your brothers and sisters," Erik continued, recovering from the attack and standing up. "You kept your daughter, no, our daughter, Christine Raven Lehnsherr, from the truth, the truth about us and her kind!"

"Not anymore," Mother sniffed. "Come, Christine. I promised you that I would tell you, and I will." Mother heard me yawn, and, before I could say it was unnecessary or embarrassing, scooped me up and sauntered away from Erik.

"So you were always an asshole," I heard Logan conclude to Erik.

He sat down with me in his lap and groaned. I cuddled, smelling the earthy scent of his beard and hair I always enjoyed.

"If only I could give you a simpler version. I must. We only have a few hours, darling. Any questions before I start?"

"Why are we doing this?"

"Your Aunt Raven is the reason why Logan, who is from the future, is here. She's going to kill someone, Christine, and this assassination will trigger a chain of events we must avoid. Anything else?"

"Well….I know about most children and…" I blushed, staring at my hands.

"You're wondering how this is even possible?" I nodded. "It's something called the XY gene…."

***I chose the name "Xena" because 1) it starts with an X and 2) Christine is a decent trooper for a ten-year old! Please review! Also, I won't be typing for a while because I'm going a trip. **


	7. The Memory

**Side note: Xena is not a goddess; she is a princess.**

Mother placed me in a seat and sat in another one facing me. "The XY gene has nothing to do with the XY chromosomes," Mother began. "Although both pertain to males only, as in both humans and mutants, the two types of DNA fragments are entirely different. Both the gene and the chromosomes are also oddly similar, when examining their hosts' likeness... so innate and fascinating…."

"You're rambling," I avowed languidly.

"Right." He blushed as he continued. "However, the latter, the chromosomes, unlike the gene, are quite common among both humans and mutants."

"Why?"

Mother's eyes lit up a bit, glazed with memory. "If you paid attention in my class, young lady, you'd know the answer." I supposed then and there that he really did catch me taking catnaps.

I said nothing about those classes. Instead, I mused over why one DNA fragment would be more ordinary than another until the truth smacked me. Throughout the shared silence, I sensed Mother's mind, numb and patient.

"The XY gene… chromosomes, I mean, they're a gender thing, right? And… the gene itself is something much related to the gender of somebody as well…." This was so exhausting, especially on such a quiet plane. I never had to think this much about genetics in several years! "Are you implying that only humans or mutants have this gene?"

He beamed proudly at me. I was innocently bashful and shocked at the time, but now I believe he had a bit of whiskey before the flight.

"The gene is a rarity," he insisted, "exotic but almost lethal." I cocked my head and squirmed in my seat, and he shrugged in response. "It's an oddity in mutants, Christine, not humans. That's why it was so despised by the human race, almost eradicated…" He stared off into the distance, well, at the front of the aircraft at least, pondering.

I was still slightly lost. "So, what does this gene do again?" He beckoned me to sit closer, and I complied.

"Do I have to repeat where babies come from, my dear?" It was more of a sarcastic statement than a question and was followed by Mother's crooked grin. Now, it was my turn to blush foolishly.

"No! Ew! I was so young!"

"And, you still are." Mother bit back a sweet smile, struggling not to laugh. "Come now, Christine. Don't pretend you're ignorant of the simple way of life. It is impossible for a human male to bear children, but not male mutants." His eyes narrowed when they found Father. "That monster is not taking you," he promised gravely, pulling me close and avoiding my eyes. "My beloved, I swear I will not lose you. I will not lose another."

Perhaps I shouldn't have asked, but I really wanted to end the tense moment and the thought never left me alone. "Mother." I swallowed. "May I see it? Please?"

He raised his bushy eyebrows. "What?"

"When you were…happier." My eyes found my skirt, wrinkled and ripped a bit, an impeccable description of this lousy mission or trip or whatever this was.

He didn't have to read my mind to know what I wanted to see. My mind had ached for the treasured memory of my family before Father left Mother, the day I inevitably came to life.

"You're still my daughter," Mother swore, wagging an index finger at my face.

"Says so potty mouth," I teased. We shared a few laughs until he stopped to frown and press his shaking index fingers against my temples.

"Remember this: we only have…" Mother paused awkwardly. "HANK! When are we landing in Paris?"

"Two hours!"

"Two hours."

"Thank you, Mother." I wrapped my lanky arms around his neck. As Mother hugged back, I thought I heard him sob a little and Logan sigh.

xxxx

My mind rippled until I felt myself stand on two feet. First came the facts, then came the bigger picture. The day was September 10th, 1962. Tension wasn't too terribly high, but a hint of anxiety definitely hung above the Xavier Mansion. I felt it from diverse minds, even in the front yard.

Before this experience, I never imagined my home ever being spotless. Uncle Hank was no sloth, but there was only one of him, one of me, and one moody professor then. About ten years ago, on that exact day in autumn, the house was in shipshape. However, teens were also present, either running laps or hanging out in Hank's former laboratory.

I quickly let myself inside after I remembered Mother's warnings. Still, I hungered for a sun that seemed always bright, a sky that was always clear and vivid, and a family that remained healthy and secure and even obnoxious, with no humans, no war, or no divide that could crush its bonds.

While I was in this memory of my mother's, I felt elated and enlightened and craved to know more so I could fix my broken family. I had hope. Couldn't I fix what had been broken?

xxxx

Inside the mansion, I received a greater shock. I was just as if I entered my home five or so years ago. There was no dust, no cobwebs, and noise, wonderful noise, laughter and chatter.

"You need to calm down." A warm voice drifted from the lab to my ears. I followed it to its source; a young and pretty woman with blonde hair and deep blue eyes sauntered down the hall and passed through me.

"Charles, will you listen to me?" She was now leaning against the doorframe and impatiently crossing her arms. "Charles," she shouted, facing the lab. _Charles? Mother? It couldn't be… _"He'll be back! I know it's been several hours, but haven't had a decent meal. It's tea time now!"

She stormed back into the lab, and I meekly followed. Seeing Mother depressed was normal to me, but I've never seen him really bawl.

He was that afternoon, pink-eyed and unashamed, curled up in a tight ball and pressed against a window. His dark hair fell loosely in matted curls, making him look more feminine than usual.

"Not now, Raven…" He sleepily bit his lip. "Not… now…" Was this my Aunt Raven? I had no earthly idea until the vivacious woman spoke up again.

"Listen to me. You and me are as close as siblings." She glared fiercely at her feet, thinking of the missing person no doubt. "I can hunt that guy down if you wish. Come on, Charles! I love you, and I – we all hate seeing you like this. He's not worth it. I'll find him for you!"

"That won't be needed." My father entered the lab from behind me, confident and smirking. "You couldn't even track down Banshee when he fell a few yards away from us, Raven."

"YOU!" Mother never showed this much raw emotion to me before, except if one counted the sudden encounters with Logan and Magneto.

Father stiffened as Mother rushed up to him and forced him into a tight embrace. But, both of their faces both lit up a measure, as they pulled apart.

"I know I'm an idiot," Erik whispered, taking Mother's hand. "I'm an idiot for leaving unexpectedly just now, but I've left several times, Charles. What's changed?" Mother opened his mouth but Erik beat him to the punch. "I know what has. From the minute you yanked me away from drowning, you were an idiot. We're both idiots. But now, you're… feeling differently about me, aren't you, Charles?"

As Charles tried to step away, Erik stopped him and nodded to Raven, and the teen correctly took the indication as a cue to leave and did. "Am I disgusted? Wish I was…"

His confession made Charles blink rapidly and stare confusedly at the metal-bender. "You aren't, my friend?"

"I never saw I was. How could I…" Father couldn't get the right words out, so he projected his thoughts into Charles's accepting mind. _When I see your eyes water with pain and anger for me, when I see those same, powerful eyes look at me like I'm meant something… anything more than what Shaw has created_…

_A monster?_

_Yes, and I've learned so much from you and these students. _

_Students?_ Mother glowed; the sight made me grin a bit since I rarely saw Mother this delighted. "You think… they're my students, Erik? You think I'm their mentor?"

"_Our _students." His eyes met the random equipment lying all over the floor, and Mother rolled his eyes.

"I see your displeasure as expected. The children, uh, got a bit out of control during your temporary absence."

"Temporary," Erik mocked, leading the way out of the lab left in disarray. "You clearly didn't think my mission for the perfect solution would be temporary, did you? Are they not punished?"

As they entered a comfy sitting room, I snuck up behind them. The metal-bender turned to the door and effortlessly shut it with the force of the doorknob. Mother stopped and turned to him, transfixed by the mischievous gleam in his friend's grey-blue eyes. "W- w -well," he stammered. "Y-yes of course, Erik. They're going to clean that mess up tomorrow, but what is this 'perfect solution'?"

Erik slowly approached the telepath, and Mother never moved from his spot. I waited and stood very still, even though I knew they couldn't detect my presence since they were mere figments of memory. "You knew I was hunting for Shaw from the very beginning and planned on doing it again today. But, something quite annoying prevented me from continuing my hunt, a better solution for now." Erik kept the twinkle in his eyes as he admitted, "until the time is right, Charles, I'm staying here. You taught me to let go… for now…" _Your serenity is my solution. _

xxxx

As Erik leaned forward and Mother smiled shyly, I was transported back to reality. Mother looked a bit tearful, Uncle Hank remained as a focused pilot, Logan was fast asleep, and Father was dully starting at the chessboard in front of him.

I blurted out another question, one I, again, shouldn't have probably asked. I was being pushy, even for my age. Still, I was way too anxious to contemplate over the words coming out of my immature, preteen self.

"We're seeing Aunt Raven, aren't we?" Mother sighed, put his hands on my forehead, and I fell back in a deep sleep.

**How is this so far? Please tell me what you think! **


	8. The Mending

"Was that needed?" I instantly discovered I was asleep, but being the reluctant telepath I am, my mind was able to sense my parents tensely arguing in front of me. Mother had my head in his lap, and the chessboard Father seemed nostalgically smitten with separated them.

"Erik, how would you at ten years old be able to absorb all this information at once?" Mother was calmer than he was, but I could still hear him contain his fury buzzing and vibrating in his mind. "Think over this practically."

"I don't think with my emotions unlike some," Father drawled pointedly. "I'll give you some respect for raising our child, but nevertheless, she's mine after all of this is said and done, Charles. I can raise her to be stronger, one of the strongest mutants ever witnessed. When I was a little older than her, I lost everything. But she… she can become unconquerable. Didn't you once believe in change? In life after facing possible extinction? Don't lie to me, Charles. We both know you did."

Even when fast asleep, I saw him reach over to pat my head, and Mother swatted his hand away.

"I remember what you went through during the Holocaust." My heart wept for my Father, even as Mother's voice went from soft to stingy. "But you know what? We're both selfish bastards, Erik, like it or not, who stabbed each other. Don't you realize what your doing? You're doing what I've prevented myself from doing. She's not something you can mold, Erik. And another thing: don't you _dare _touch her again! If she even knew the atrocities –"

"Regardless of what we've done," Father interrupted briskly, "she's our daughter, Charles. Not yours, not mine, _ours. _I'm appalled that you would shield her from the truth for so long, and you call _me _selfish! Do you know how long I've waited to see her again? I met her five years ago when I was on the run. You kept our child from me!"

"What was I supposed to do?" The chessboard rattled ever so slightly. "_You_ didn't have her! I, however, did!"

"True, but you hid her from me."

The accusation didn't go unnoticed, but Mother was just as unyielding as he was. "I think you have plenty of others, bastard children to show off. Who was Peter to you, Erik, hmm?" Erik returned his cold stare but said nothing. "Speak! The fear was evident in your eyes, the same fear I had for Christine."

_I should have known Peter was my half-brother!_ I screamed inwardly.

"Your sentiments mean nothing to me," Erik hissed, slouching in his seat, defeated. "You are right about one thing, Charles. We're selfish bastards, brutes at that. Doesn't mean we can't make up for it, does it?"

Charles stared at him with softer eyes, pursing his lips; unsure of the man he thought he had figured out. "I suppose."

I started to get up. Logan shushed them and kneeled before me, stroking my hair. It was kind of creepy at first, but then I had the strangest feeling that he was protecting me from something. Perhaps I underestimated him somehow, even categorized him into something more unfeeling than he really was. But, only time would reveal the truth.

"I used to believe she resembled me the most…then Raven…" Mother started to tear up again. Joy. "And now… this face… this calm face, this façade… Erik –" He leapt into Father's arms, and that was when I decided it was safe to wake up. "I can't believe I missed you so, you - you abject creature!"

Surprisingly, Father hugged him back and murmured, "How about a game of chess?"

As they played, another annoying thought, almost a chant, wouldn't leave my crammed mind; _we're going to see Aunt Raven. _

**If Erik was real, I'd feel awfully bad for him especially. I give respect and love to all Holocaust victims. **

**May the Lord watch over them all and forgive me if I have sinned. Forgive me, my viewers, if I have offended you in any way. I have nothing to gain from this but hopefully the idea of being someone else. However, I will never know or ever imagine what any of you or anyone you love has been through, so I can only hope that God watches over you and protects you. **

**Once more, I turn to victims of any circumstance and hope that they find love in this cruel world. **


	9. The Reunion

**Well, what do you know? I'm alive!**

What girl never dreamt of going to Paris? I couldn't suppress my elation because the idea was now too real to digest. Only, I never pictured having my Father tag along with us on a perilous mission, or having the visit evolve around hindering Aunt Raven. I learned from Uncle Hank that her codename was "Mystique"; he and Logan also told me about the Brotherhood she was once in and how our former friends were linked to Bolivar Trask's inhumane experiments.

As soon as Hank landed the aircraft, I was full of more questions. "Why is she doing this on her own? She could have stayed with Father, even though he kind of assassinated the president…"

"You don't know Raven." Hank told me dryly, at my sleeping and cuddling parents. Oh man! They'd both kill each other if they were awake, wouldn't they?

"You also don't know that cold-hearted bitch Mystique," Logan added, earning a fervent glare from Hank. "Beast, she's relentless and plausibly more vengeful than Kennedy's killer!"

"Sh!" I ordered him to hush, but it was too late. Father woke up; alarmed that Mother was snuggling in his arms over the chessboard and furious at Logan for his exclamation.

"I heard that. I didn't kill the president. I was protecting a fellow mutant. So next time, consider whose daughter you're giving false information to."

As Erik attempted to shove Mother off of him, Mother stirred and stood up. "We should…" He sleepily rubbed his eyes and glanced at me. "Go… Christine, go brush your hair. I love you, darling, but it looks like a rat pooped in it." Both Logan and Erik poorly concealed their laughter.

I put my hands on my hips and frowned. "But there's no mirror in here!" He just shrugged, so I groaned and used a window's reflection, working my fingers into my unruly tresses. I did want to look decent in front of my aunt, whom I imagined for the longest time was one of the most alluring women alive.

xxx

We left our aircraft, and Logan "convinced" a few observant and unfortunate people at the Charles de Gaulle Airport that our airplane was not suspicious. After that barrel of joy, we took a taxi to our destination. Frankly, I've never seen a group of people look so helpless before. Not only were my parents and Hank relying on a stranger's words, which could be leading us into a deadly trap or kill us, but no one but me seemed skeptical.

Of course, I was a naïve child then and often allowed my fantasies to sometimes overpower my sensibility. But, I still don't regret my distrust for Logan. Who knows what could have happened?

We made it and paid our driver before making a beeline for the building, our mysterious destination. None of us bothered to mind the bystanders staring at us like we were lunatics. There were bigger problems, no, catastrophes at hand.

After going through several halls and passing security guards, (who Father debilitated and Logan punched,) we found the short Trask and a redheaded, cerulean-skinned woman aiming a handgun at him.

"Raven! Raven!" Mother shouted. She looked up at us, and then someone who stood safely behind her began to attack her with some strange, electrifying device. But as she struggled, Father directed the weapon on the human, and he fell, grunting.

I stood behind Mother as he caressed my Aunt Raven, who was odder than I thought she'd be. Even though I knew she and Mother weren't related, I made a very superficial connection in my younger years, you see, and believed she was a telepath or something of the similar sort. But no, she was an eccentric shape-shifter, one with blue skin and ran around completely naked. Wonderful for an awkward preteen, was it not?

Oh, well. It was what it was. I couldn't judge her. She was in our same predicament and needed our help.

That was just what Mother attempted to do: help. He spoke soothing words right after she whispered hopefully, "Charles?"

"Yes, Raven. It's me. We've come for you, Erik and I…. together. You're an aunt, Raven." He spoke so softly to her, as if his voice was her long-lost cradle. In my mind's eye, I saw the twinkling in his eyes and discovered then and there that this was something my mother dreamt of doing for a long, long time.

My mother, the person who raised me since I was born, was as much of a stranger to me as my father, Magneto.

Raven's golden eyes watered, then they found me, and she wrinkled her nose in confusion. "Not the agent's… Not Moira's…"

"No, no! Not Moira's!" Who was Moira? I'd have to find that out later. "She's Erik's and mine."

"How?" She tried to get up at this point, and Charles held out his hands to her.

"I'll explain when you're safe. Come, we must go home immediately."

A soft thud grabbed my attention. I tore my eyes away from the touching reunion to see Logan with closed eyes, gasping for air and hyperventilating. I quietly shook him, whispering frantically, "Logan! Logan! What is it?" He wouldn't listen, not when we needed his most.

I tried to find out why he decided to have a panic attack at that moment, but something powerful was blocking my mind: pain, intense pain. I saw nothing but Logan: beaten, tortured, and almost out of time with the lives of fellow mutants on his shoulders. I realized he wasn't a lying sociopath. We didn't need him; he, and so many mutants I once knew and others I never knew, needed us.

I heard the click of the handgun and turned to the entrance of the room. Father was aiming the gun at the cause of this mess. I recognized his intentions, but that didn't mean I would support them. No one had to die. There had to have been another way…

Mother must've though so, too, because he crouched in-between Erik and Raven, acting as a shield for her. "Erik…" His once soothing voice was now full of shock and terror. "Erik, what are you doing?"

"Securing our future," Erik murmured. "She's a threat, as long as she's alive. Forgive me, Mystique."

No! Was my father really going to cruelly shoot my aunt? Wasn't he trying to do what was best for mutants and not kill them off? I didn't know then how much of a target Aunt Raven really was until I discovered the truth for myself. But at eleven years old, I simply couldn't watch her die.

"Charles, stop him! Your powers, Charles!" Raven tried to remain calm, but I could see her panicking inside. Charles sadly shook his head.

"I can't…"

Could I? I turned to my Father and shut my eyes. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. I pictured what I did on the plane, remembered everything Mother taught me, and Father was roaring and clutching his head with one of his hands in pain, the other hand holding the gun. That was all I knew to do. A straightforward command couldn't subdue the metal bender; torment had to do the trick.

But while he endured the torture, he did fire a shot, even as Hank intervened and pushed him after I invaded his mind. Raven was on her feet before the shot was heard, but her efforts were in vain. The bullet followed her, and after her slim body shattered a window, the bullet pierced her lower right leg right above her bare ankle.

I dashed and looked outside, meeting pairs of widened, ignorant eyes of humans. _Oh no… No! No! No! NO!_ They saw her, stared at her in absolute horror and wonder. She was unveiled and revealed to humans around the world via cameras and television sets.

Poor Aunt Raven could hardly stand. She met the pretty brown eyes of a frightened woman with a stylish Afro and turned into her clone. Soon, she managed to hobble away from where she fell. I was going to jump after her, but Magneto beat me to the punch, levitated downwards and outstretched a hand. Magneto was through with games, and she couldn't run away.

She was sliding easily into his grasp, shifting back to her original form as she pleased, "ERIK!" By the time he removed the bullet mercilessly from her leg and she gasped in agony, I unwittingly let out a throat-numbing scream and jumped after them.

Mother was busy trying to get Logan out of his suffering, but Uncle Hank followed me and would've grabbed me if I didn't recover from my leap. Both my hands and knees were scraped and bloody, and the taste of metal coated my tongue, but all I could think about was keeping Raven safe.


	10. The Delay

**Sorry again, gang! Summer's almost over for me, and with school coming up, there's no avoiding the vicious cycle of schedules and meetings and whatnot. Enjoy!**

**Also, I saw this movie only once, so I have no idea if my story follows the original story. And, some scenes will be changed. Luckily, it's told in Christine's P.O.V., so there's not much to worry about, right? Here we go!**

Mystique managed to escape once I fell. I still don't know whether it was because Beast or I distracted Magneto. Either way, my furry uncle and I make the perfect distracting duo, don't we?

So there I was, lying pathetically on the pavement, inches away from a few droplets of blood. My own blood could've painted the streets at that point, but I quickly regained strength when I noticed Magneto following Mystique.

I held out my hands to him, ignoring the vexatious crowd, and started forcing him with my mind to walk backward. He did so, but man, was my father strong! It felt like I was manipulating a boulder.

_He must be used to this because of Mother, _I assumed.

Magneto quickly answered my question with and inward chuckle and projection. _Yes, my daughter. I don't wish to harm you, so stay out of this._

His tone was fatherly, but anyone could sense the threat laced in his thoughts. I knew all along he could kill me, but I never considered the possibility that he truly _would _kill me! So for a whole minute, he left me frozen and defenseless.

A few brave humans approached me, probably because they didn't really see much abnormality in a little girl following her father and presumably pretending with him. Boy, were they wrong.

My anxiety took over me as soon as one touched my forearm. I immediately panicked and put the person, an elderly woman, to sleep. I didn't want to harm anyone. Still, the crowd roared apprehensively, cameras flashed, and I was officially another freak or outcast.

Fortunately, my audience didn't pay attention to me for long, because Uncle Hank joined our little escape party in his beastly form and began attacking Magneto in a nearby fountain. But thanks to the metal bender, Hank was imprisoned in the fountain's metal birds.

That was when Mystique had vanished. And by the time I reached Uncle Hank and helped him out of his trap, Magneto was gone, too.

Soon, the people around us began to step closer and closer. The cameras blinded us, and Mystique's mark on the pavement had disappeared.

Uncle Hank shifted back into his pseudo body and carried me bridal style. "We'll have to take you back home, all of us." His words meant nothing to me. All I could think about was my lost father and aunt. But when he kissed my forehead and began jogging back to the building looming over us, I peacefully dozed off.

xxxx

"No… I won't let you corrupt her. You can treat me like a ragdoll for all I care, bastard, but you're not taking her!"

_Mother must've forgotten to take his serum – again. _I sighed and opened my eyes to a timid Hank, an impatient Logan, and a very pissed Mother.

"Logan," I whispered earnestly, glancing back at him and getting off the coach I was resting on. "How did you –"

"I saw someone who's going to put me through a lot of suffering, kid." He chuckled wryly and winked at me. "But I guess you'd know about that… since your old man is the most rotten son-of-a-bitch –"

"Look!" Hank was about to lose his sanity, along with Mother. "We appreciate what you tried to do, Logan, but stop cussing!"

"And…" Mother laid a cool cloth on my forehead, which was, to my horror, encrusted with dried blood. "Don't bring up that murderer. He could've hurt Christine today, almost killed Mystique. You already forced me to stop taking my serum." I perked up to this. "You're not forcing my only child to take part in this mission anymore –"

Logan knelt down to my sitting mother's level. "Forgive me, Professor X, but you were worthless back there with Cerebro. How else are we going to locate –"

"I don't care!" The madman screamed. My fists curled, and I glared at the man.

"Well you know what, Mother? I DO! I'll do it, Wolverine!" Logan gave me a piercing stare as the codename slipped off my tongue.

"How…" I shrugged. I honestly had no idea how I knew. But just as I thought I could solve that mystery, I blacked out again.

xxxx

_Am I in a church? _I wondered. It sure looked like I was. A multicolored window that belonged in a cathedral glowed before me. A girl a few years older than me was crouching beside the head of a man sprawled out and unconscious on a slab. I quickly realized the man was Logan.

"What is going on?" Everyone around me, all the unrecognizable people, was frozen. Logan was frozen, too. I started to get up and walk around the room when two warm, ancient voices slipped into my ears.

"_Christine."_

_*"Meine Tochter." _

I turned around and saw two very old, smiling men holding hands and looking longingly at me. One was seated in a wheelchair, while the other stood beside him.

"Welcome home." The man in the wheelchair smiled fondly at me and whispered, "We haven't seen you in a long, long time, my daughter. My, you are beautiful."

That was when the truth slammed me with another punch; these were my parents, still alive, older, and hopefully together at last.

***This means "my daughter" in German, I believe. **


	11. The Future

I stared at both of them for a little bit until Older Mother perked up. "Christine…" His tender eyes met mine. "Don't you have any questions for us?"

I nodded dumbly. "Uh… yes…. But this is…" I slowly spun around and surveyed the room. "New… the future…But where am I specifically? What happened? How did I get here?"

"Your mind reached Charles's mind," Older Father explained, "As he reluctantly connected his mind with Logan. It was necessary for Logan to unveil this. As for where you are, you're in a hiding place. And…. As for what happened, the Sentinels happened."

"The Sentinels?"

"From Bolivar Trask's experiments and plans," Father recounted.

"Then where's Mother?" Older Mother pointed at a corner of the room, where Mother suddenly materialized and walked anxiously over to us.

"Charles." Mother nodded, distress evident in his gaze.

"Charles." Older Mother returned the gesture. It was then that I noticed Mother didn't notice Older Father or me, just Older Mother.

"Father, why is Mother only staring at… Mother?"

He chuckled at my inquiry. Yep, that was Erik in the flesh. I could tell whom that deep laughter belonged to any day. "Professor X wanted to speak to him alone, but he'll let us eavesdrop."

I nodded as Mother and Older Mother shared the most awkward silence ever. Then, something essential to me came to mind. "Hey, Father? I know this is a burden to ask, but do I live, you know, in the future?"

"Nope." He popped the 'p' humorously, but his voice was full of remorse. "You did twenty years ago. You were investigating the mysterious disappearance of the Scarlet Witch, your half-sister, to regain the Brotherhood's trust. The Brotherhood is or now was my side while the X-Men, which you haven been long acquainted with, was Charles's. A Sentinel found you and quickly killed you. Your intentions were just, but you defied and disobeyed your mother. As a result, you put yourself in jeopardy to save another without protection. "

As soon as he saw my sour frown, he smiled warmly and outstretched his arms for a hug. I accepted the embrace half-heartedly as my mind wandered off to the memory of Magneto attempting to murder Mystique. _Could someone so cold ever turn so gentle without this much suffering?_

He whispered against my ear, "I love you no matter what. Besides, the future is not set in stone now that we've come to set things right." Somehow, those words made me feel a whole lot better and less resentful.

I was going to ask if they, my parents, were still together, but Mother began talking. "Is this what truly happens?" He stared at the scene around him regrettably. "Erik was right." Older Erik stared solemnly at Mother and grasped Older Mother's hand.

"Not if we show Humanity a better path," Older Mother told Mother gently.

Mother wasn't looking too inspired though. "You still believe despite all that's happened?"

"Just because someone stumbles and loses their path, doesn't mean they're lost forever. Sometimes, they need some help."

Mother flinched at the word 'help', and I really wanted to hear the agony soaking up his mind. Standing there and simply listening, I felt very worthless. "I'm not the man I once was." He projected a thought to Older Mother, and I caught a glimpse of Logan, Mother, and more pain.

xxxx

_Inside Charles's mind… _

Mother was reading Logan's mind, revealing all his plights and torment. "You poor man," Mother whispered, terrified.

"You should look past me –"

"NO!" Mother pushed Logan away and his attempt at comforting. "I don't want your suffering OR your future!"

"Look past my future," urged Logan. "Look for your future."

xxxx

"You're afraid," Older Mother avowed. "Yes, I remember how that felt. But if you didn't have a sliver of hope, Charles, you wouldn't have done what Logan asked you to do."

"All those voices…they hold so much pain…" I really wanted to hug the sobbing man badly, mother or not. Whether he was the best mother in the world or a complete fool, I really wanted a secure future.

Impressively, Older Charles wouldn't relent, even when witnessing himself break down. He saw change during our apocalypse. I guessed that was what age did to someone.

"It's not their pain that you're afraid of," he continued. "It's yours, Charles. And as horrifying as it may be, that pain will make you a stronger mutant. If you allow yourself to embrace it, you'll be more powerful than you've ever imagined. It's the greatest gift we have, to bear their pain without breaking, and it's born from the most human power….." He started into my eyes, blue meeting blue, and whispered encouragingly, "Hope…" He then looked back at Mother. "Hope for Erik, for Raven, for Christine…" This made Mother tear up. "We need you to hope again."

He ushered for his younger self to come closer, and he did. But when Older Mother cupped Mother's face in his hands, I woke up.

xxxx

Mother had the ancient Cerebro on his head, and I caught a few of the exchanges he shared with the person on the other side.

"_Charles? Where are you?"_

"Back at the house where you should be," Mother said aloud, the brainwaves still overwhelming him. "Come back home. I need you to."

My mind's eyes saw an airport and in it a lovely blonde woman wearing a black, floppy hat stand up with a huff. It was Aunt Raven.

"_I know what I need to do." _ She walked off, but Mother's mind followed her. He hopped from one traveler to the next, then from a backpacker to a flight attendant. Their words were shot back and forth, as if they were competing in a tennis match and not fighting for the future of humans and mutants.

Behind Raven, I noticed someone welcome a traveler to Washington D.C. _At least I know where she is… _Still, Mother couldn't sway Raven. She was so confident in her decision that she shoved away Mother's warnings without a second thought.

I tried to reach her, too, but failed miserably. I couldn't reach a person I barely knew and at such a faraway airport!

Mother noticed this and shockingly allowed me to take his place. He usually never allowed me to overestimate my capabilities, and I refused to do it then. It could've potentially and quite selfishly left me weak. I was a valuable team player for my family's future; I couldn't afford that.

"Mother," I sighed, "You know I'm not old enough to take on this advanced stage of telepathy –"

"You're repeating my words. I know I've blocked you, darling." He knelt to my level and pecked my cheek, running his calloused fingers through my hair. "I know you've needed me when I was addicted to the serum. But now, I'm afraid I need you, you to help me hope again. I love you so much and believe you are stronger than me. I've done nothing but hinder you –"

"No…" My eyes watered pathetically as I wailed, "Don't say that! You've taken care of me, you and Uncle Hank…" I noticed Hank and Mother tear up a little. "You've taught me so much, you've raised me, unlike Father…"

Tears streamed down both our cheeks as Mother cupped my face, just like Older Mother did with him, and pressed our foreheads together. Our minds hummed in synch until he murmured, "You've forgiven me?"

"Only if you forgive the man you loved…"

Mother nodded with a shaky smile. "You're so grown up, Christine. I suppose I'm not the mother of the year. But if I can raise you in the midst of all this madness, then you can do what I've just done."

I glanced at the machine beside us and gulped. Boy, did it look like it could swallow me up and then spit me back out! I know it sounds silly, but I never cared for the Cerebro because of the emotional trauma it put Mother through, but I guess I had no say.

I knew Mother didn't want me to dive into this task without his instructions, so I asked, "Okay what must I do?"


End file.
